Water pump, Thermostat, Coolant temperature sensor, Hose Replacement and Coolant flush. PART 4 of 7 (10 picture restriction per post) March 29 - April 6, 2026. (working on other things as well).
Svengoolie flushed like he ate too many burritos at Taco Bell!
I'm going to be doing a 1,000 mile trip out to the Crossfires in Athens event in Ohio at the end of May. Although the coolant tested fine with a hydrometer and the pump seemed okay, I have decided to upgrade the 20 year old cooling system.
I am replacing the water pump, thermostat, Coolant temperature sensor, upper and lower hoses and doing a coolant clean and flush.
Special thanks to Rob at Needswings.com for the fast shipping of my order!

This is how I do the work on my car. I'm not a professional mechanic. The pictures and descriptions are for reference only. Any work that you do on your car is your responsibility. Safety first and patience make for a job well done!

 

Water pump, Thermostat, Coolant temperature sensor, Hose Replacement and Coolant flush. PART 5 of 7 (10 picture restriction per post) March 29 - April 6, 2026. (working on other things as well).
Svengoolie flushed like he ate too many burritos at Taco Bell!
I'm going to be doing a 1,000 mile trip out to the Crossfires in Athens event in Ohio at the end of May. Although the coolant tested fine with a hydrometer and the pump seemed okay, I have decided to upgrade the 20 year old cooling system.
I am replacing the water pump, thermostat, Coolant temperature sensor, upper and lower hoses and doing a coolant clean and flush.
Special thanks to Rob at Needswings.com for the fast shipping of my order!

This is how I do the work on my car. I'm not a professional mechanic. The pictures and descriptions are for reference only. Any work that you do on your car is your responsibility. Safety first and patience make for a job well done!

 

Water pump, Thermostat, Coolant temperature sensor, Hose Replacement and Coolant flush. PART 6 of 7 (10 picture restriction per post) March 29 - April 6, 2026. (working on other things as well).
Svengoolie flushed like he ate too many burritos at Taco Bell!
I'm going to be doing a 1,000 mile trip out to the Crossfires in Athens event in Ohio at the end of May. Although the coolant tested fine with a hydrometer and the pump seemed okay, I have decided to upgrade the 20 year old cooling system.
I am replacing the water pump, thermostat, Coolant temperature sensor, upper and lower hoses and doing a coolant clean and flush.
Special thanks to Rob at Needswings.com for the fast shipping of my order!

This is how I do the work on my car. I'm not a professional mechanic. The pictures and descriptions are for reference only. Any work that you do on your car is your responsibility. Safety first and patience make for a job well done!

 

Water pump, Thermostat, Coolant temperature sensor, Hose Replacement and Coolant flush. PART 7 of 7 (10 picture restriction per post) March 29 - April 6, 2026. (working on other things as well).
Svengoolie flushed like he ate too many burritos at Taco Bell!
I'm going to be doing a 1,000 mile trip out to the Crossfires in Athens event in Ohio at the end of May. Although the coolant tested fine with a hydrometer and the pump seemed okay, I have decided to upgrade the 20 year old cooling system.
I am replacing the water pump, thermostat, Coolant temperature sensor, upper and lower hoses and doing a coolant clean and flush.
Special thanks to Rob at Needswings.com for the fast shipping of my order!

This is how I do the work on my car. I'm not a professional mechanic. The pictures and descriptions are for reference only. Any work that you do on your car is your responsibility. Safety first and patience make for a job well done!

 

Svengoolie scores a unique trophy at a unique car show! April 19, 2026
This was my first time attending a type of car show I've never been too. It was the 7th Annual Ferencz Car Show. It was judged by officially sanctioned judges, had a DJ and catered food but it wasn't at a municipal lot or a shopping mall, etc...
It was at someone's house! To top it off, there was even a Concourse restored 1970 Plymouth Superbird in the driveway! I took pictures when I arrived, but so many more cars showed up later. The street was full on both sides.
Svengoolie won a trophy for best in class for his decade 2000 - 2010. What a great time we all had!
Here are a few pictures from the show:


Svengoolie is on duty keeping that Superbird safe! LOL

1968 Pontiac GTO, 1963 Chevrolet Corvette split window and my 2006 Chrysler Crossfire.

1953 Chevrolet Corvette, 2025? Chevrolet Corvette, 1979? Pontiac Trans AM,

A couple of Chevy trucks

1996 Chevrolet Corvette, 1967? Buick Riviera, 1979 Corvette, Chevy Nova


I've never seen a trophy like this before.

 

HAPPY GOTCHA DAY TO "SVENGOOLIE"!
I brought Sven home on April 21, 2023 and I still love driving and working on my car as much as I did on that day 3 years ago.
This might be the best car I've ever owned!

 

That says a lot, John. Enjoy the ride and I will also

 

Air Pump Electrical Connector Replacement. April 24, 2026.
Svengoolie says "We pump you up" like Hans und Franz!
When I was removing the air pump to check the vacuum line behind it, I broke one of the locking tabs. This post shows how I replaced it with a new one.
This is how I do the work on my car. I'm not a professional mechanic. The pictures and descriptions are for reference only.
Any work that you do on your car is your responsibility. Safety first and patience make for a job well done!

 

How to locate a coolant leak. April 23, 2026.
Svengoolie was glowing like a 1970s Jimi Hendrix poster!
Well, nobody's perfect.
After I had replaced the water pump, coolant temperature sensor, thermostat and hoses, I drove the car a few times. Then I noticed coolant in the engine belly pan.
I looked around and saw coolant on top of the water pump. I assumed it had leaked up through the top of the gasket. I re-torqued all of the bolts and that seemed to solve it.
Then I went for a long drive and when I got home I didn't really see anything. Then I opened the hood after the car had cooled down and there was more coolant in the belly pan, but I couldn't find where it was coming from.
I decided to use a U.V. coolant dye and a U.V. light to find it. Here's what happened...

This is how I do the work on my car. I'm not a professional mechanic. The pictures and descriptions are for reference only.
Any work that you do on your car is your responsibility. Safety first and patience make for a job well done!

 

Svengoolie gets a nice surprise today! May 3, 2026
I took Sven to a local car show in Boonton, New Jersey. There were over a 170 cars there on Main Street.
We were lucky enough to win 1st prize in the Modern Muscle 2000 - 2006 category.
Here are some pictures from the show:

 

Congrats John! Awesome (and well deserved)!!!


.

 

Thanks George!